The invention relates to the field of microlattice structures, made from metal and/or ceramic materials.
The invention has uses in particular in the field of the mechanical industry, in particular for its properties of absorption of kinetic energy. It also has uses in the acoustic and thermal fields.
Microlattice structures, also known by the name “micro-lattices”, emerged after the search for materials capable of meeting the ever-growing requirements of industrial specifications, in particular in terms of lightness and mechanical strength.
Numerous techniques have already been proposed for the creation of these structures, the struts of which converge towards nodes that are considered rigid. Among these techniques, the one involving the drawing, the folding, then the assembly, via soldering, of the primary elements of the structure is noted. Other techniques have also been proposed, such as the method of the wires assembled via soldering on a specific set of tools, additive manufacturing, or photolithography.
In all the cases, the microlattice structure that is obtained has rigid nodes, implying that the struts located between these nodes are deformed only in traction or in compression. This results in a sticky-drawer phenomenon in the struts stressed in compression, which leads to a rapid collapse of the structure under stress.
Thus, there remains a need to improve the design of these microlattice structures, in order for them to have improved mechanical behaviour while being able to be mass produced, using conventional techniques.